France’s bid for a third World Cup title ended with a 2-0 defeat to Spain in the semi-finals on Tuesday, denying the team a fitting farewell for coach Didier Deschamps as they prepared to contest the third-place match. The match took place at Dallas Stadium in Arlington, Texas, coinciding with Bastille Day.
Spain secured their victory through goals from Mikel Oyarzabal in the 22nd minute and Pedro Porro in the 58th minute, extending their dominance over France in recent tournament semi-finals, including Euro 2024 and the 2025 Nations League. The win marked Spain’s third consecutive semi-final triumph against Les Bleus, who had entered the knockout stage with a potent attack led by eight-time tournament scorer Kylian Mbappé.
Despite France’s impressive run, scoring 16 goals leading up to the last four, the team struggled to find rhythm against a Spanish side known for strong defensive organization, having conceded only one goal in the tournament so far. France’s most notable opportunity came in the 67th minute from Mbappé, whose shot was narrowly deflected wide by Spanish goalkeeper Unai Simón. Other moments included a hesitant attempt by Désiré Doué when Simón was off his line and a reckless challenge by Michael Olise.
Deschamps reflected on the defeat by citing a mixture of technical errors and Spain’s quality. “We fell short and weren’t as dangerous in attack as we could have been, making a few technical errors on passes that might have led to scoring chances,” he said. “Spain defended extremely well and we never got into the game. We had big ambitions but have to admit that Spain were better. They did a really good job. We tried everything but Spain showed that they are at a different level.”
Mbappé echoed the sentiment, expressing disappointment after the loss. “I don’t think we played the sort of match we wanted to. Whether it was tactically or technically, or in terms of the overall standard we put in. And when you don’t do what you’re supposed to do in a World Cup semi-final, you don’t win,” he said. “Like everyone else, I’m deeply disappointed. It was a dream for us to reach the final, to give our country the chance to keep dreaming and to make history.”
Tuesday’s result sets France up for a third-place playoff against the loser of Wednesday’s semi-final between Argentina and England at Atlanta Stadium. Argentina secured a narrow 2-1 victory thanks to late goals from Enzo Fernandez and Lautaro Martinez after England’s Anthony Gordon had opened the scoring in the 55th minute.
Deschamps, who is set to step down after 14 years in charge, holds the record for most World Cup matches managed with 27, surpassing German Helmut Schön. He led France to their 2018 World Cup triumph and narrowly missed repeating in 2022, when they lost the final to Argentina on penalties. Mbappé and teammates had hoped to deliver a third title for Deschamps in North America, but those aspirations are now on hold.
Reports indicate Zinedine Zidane, former French star and successful Real Madrid coach, may be next in line to lead the national team looking to revive its pursuit of international honors. Meanwhile, Mbappé remains focused on rebounding from the setback. “Football waits for no one; we’ll have to learn from this and move on to put this setback behind us,” he said.